From the minute you walk into an appointment, the clock is ticking. You’ve got questions to ask and answers to get, so there’s no time to waste.
Sometimes, it can feel that all you do is walk into an appointment and are sent on your way with a hefty bill and no clear answers.
Re: News asked experts how patients can make the most out of their health appointments and what to do if they don’t go how you expect.
How to maximise your appointment time
Dr Luke Bradford is the medical director at the Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners and recommends dressing appropriately so whatever part of your body you’re concerned about can be efficiently examined.
He also says patients can use online patient portals to write about what they want to cover in appointments and to clarify things they agreed on with their GP.
Rachael Beever has been a patient advocate for eight years at the Nationwide Health & Disability Advocacy Service.
Her biggest appointment tip is to arrive with a prepared list of questions, which could be about treatment options, success rates of those options, the risks involved and the next steps to take.
“It’s actually OK to set your intentions at the start. Like, actually I do have four things to discuss and I really want to get through them so it’s nice to see you, but let’s get this rolling.”
She recommends staying positive and asking questions in a curious way because that’s engaging for health professionals and helps you get information from them.
For specialist appointments, Rachael says it’s good to write a short bullet point list of your medical history so you can communicate that quickly without spending your whole appointment on it.
If a health professional uses a bunch of medical jargon you don’t understand, Rachael says you’re “allowed to stop them and say ‘I didn’t fully understand that, would you mind just giving me that in different words?’” because it’s best to ask for clarification in the moment.
Patients are entitled to bring a support person to appointments.
Support people can provide emotional support as you walk into a space that is not your own, which can help you speak up for yourself, Rachael says.
What patient advocates do
If you feel like you asked the right questions in an appointment and didn’t get an adequate response, Rachael says that’s when you can call a patient advocate like her.
Advocates can help patients understand their rights under the Code of Health and Disability Services Consumers’ Rights.
That includes the right to effective communication, the right to be fully informed, the right to informed consent, the right to an appropriate level of care and the right to be treated with respect.
Knowing your rights
Chairwoman of the Medical Council of New Zealand Dr Rachelle Love says doctors are expected to acknowledge and actively address any potential compromise to patient care or risk of harm to health and safety.
The Council’s good medical practice standards for doctors include respecting patients, demonstrating professionalism, acting honestly and ethically, and working in partnership with patients and colleagues, Love says.
The Consumer Guarantees Act also applies to health appointments.
Consumer NZ’s investigative journalist Vanessa Pratley says you can request a refund or another appointment under the act if a health provider has breached your right to get a service with reasonable care and skill.
Pratley says that could look like a provider failing to inform you of the risks associated with a procedure or medication, or a GP failing to remove a stitch from a healing injury, leading to an infection.
Consumers have the right to know what they’re paying for before they use a service like a GP and the best way to find out is through a phone call, she says.
“This doesn’t mean that every provider’s website has its prices listed, rather it means if you ask, they ought to tell you. If you’re unhappy with the price, you can say no.”
Pratley says the amount of time you’re entitled to during an appointment will depend on the provider.
Dr Luke Bradford says GPs often adjust appointment lengths for phone triage, acute appointments or follow-ups which lets them treat more patients.
“Similarly, many appointments run well past the allocated time and there is limited scope to cover that accrued cost in the current model of care,” he says.
Vanessa Pratley says “it’s really important to note that issues with health services are taking place in the wider context of a health system that is struggling.
“While this doesn’t change your consumer rights or a provider’s obligations, it does shed light on the crushing weight of a health system in crisis that many GPs and other providers are working under.”
